The Return Staff of Lunaria
by Sora-chan1337
Summary: Zelgadiss thinks he's finally found a way to return his body to normal! . . . but he encounters some old friends, which leads to strange happenings.


If I'd known I was going to be involved in another ridiculous happening that day, I wouldn't have even gone near that cave.

* * *

><p>To whom it may be of interest to, my name is Zelgadiss Graywords, and quite frankly I'm the kind of man that would rather not be involved with "troublesome" individuals.<p>

So then, let me tell you about one of the many instances in which I was forced to fight alongside those very types of individuals.

* * *

><p>The Return Staff. I'd been following leads for weeks, trying to find it. According to the rumors, the staff had the power to return broken weapons and items to their original unscathed state.<p>

You see, due to happenings I'd rather not go into detail about, my body had become quite abnormal, for I'd become part blow demon, part rock golem, but still part human. In a word, I was a chimera, a being composed of more than one species.

I thought that maybe, just maybe, the Return Staff could make me human again. Admittedly, I was getting quite desperate in my searching for a cure.

It had seemed like my efforts would finally pay off when all the leads to the Return Staff led me to a town called Lunaria. It was a small place; I'd say no more than fifty people lived there. But what made the town special was the Efray Cave. For deep in this cave, supposedly, was the legendary Return Staff.

I wondered, why nobody had tried to take the staff before me, but I guessed I'd soon find out as I entered Efray Cave.

* * *

><p>For at least three hours I walked in the vast cave, in the light provided by my magic, in complete silence.<p>

And then, I couldn't believe it. What I heard was a voice I hadn't heard in years.

"Get the hell away from me, Naga!" her familiar voice rang annoyingly.

Aghast, I blurted out, "Lina?!"

A second of silence. . .

"Zel?" I heard both Lina Inverse and another voice say in confusion. I recognized the oblivious Gourry Gabriev immediately.

Sure enough, I turned a corner to find the two- as well as another woman I didn't know. She was wrestling with Lina, struggling to pin the redhead to the floor. "Is she . . . ?"

"This guy casted a spell on Naga," Gourry said to me awkwardly. I guessed that was the stranger's name. "And now she's in love with Lina or something." He pointed hesitantly at the two girls, now both on the floor. Lina had gotten Naga into a headlock, successfully stopping her attempts at stealing a kiss.

"A-anyway Zel, what are you doing here?"

I thought for a moment, trying to find my words as I averted my eyes from what was taking place before me. "I'm probably here for the same reason as you three."

Right then, I realized if both parties were after the Return Staff, a battle would probably unfold. And my party, obviously consisting of just myself, would lose. I hadn't an idea of how powerful this Naga was, but I was sure even just Lina and Gourry would be able to kill me on their own.

Would they do that? I mean, I'd tried to do the same to them before, when I'd found myself in an opposing group. I wondered, would I have actually killed them if I'd had the chance?

"Um," Gourry vocalized his confusion, as usual. "Why are we here again? Lina?"

Lina struggled to speak, finding her hold on Naga weakening. "The Return Staff, you idiot! We're here to get the Return Staff because you actually managed to damage the Blast Sword!"

"Oh, right, what Lina said."

Lina continued, "And for some reason _you _decided to show up!"

I realized now that Naga was even more unwanted than I'd originally thought. Was that a thing people just did- barging in on others' personal quests?

It was then I noticed the man standing a few metres away, a confused but more so annoyed look on his face. He seemed to be just as confused as I was. He was wearing a dark robe, like a stereotypical sorcerer would, and had black hair that was so long it met the cave floor.

I pointed at him accusingly, asking Gourry, "Is he the one who did _this_?" Obviously, I was referring to the woman Naga's behaviour. Gourry nodded, confirming that this man was in fact our foe.

I belatedly wondered why he hadn't taken the chance to attack during my confusion with the situation. Perhaps he too was aghast at the ridiculousness he'd caused?

I didn't want to believe that, but it'd happened many times before when I was with Lina and Gourry. So many times we'd found ourselves in these weird situations. And honestly, I'd become downright sick of them. Having to deal with each ridiculous situation time and again was such a bother. I was sick of it all.

The magic user before us smirked, bringing my full attention back to him as he casted Flare Arrow. Several arrows made of fire appeared and soared toward Gourry and I. We both easily dodged the attack, jumping out of it's way.

I recited the chaos words under my breath and began to cast the spell Dynast Breath to freeze him.

I quickly found though, the spell wouldn't work for some reason. Gourry mentioned next to me, "'Dynast'? I'm sure I've heard that word somewhere recently . . . didn't we fight someone like that, Lina?"

"What?!" I was more surprised than I'd ever been before. "You mean you fought Dynast Grausherra? Is that who you meant?"

"I think so? I don't remember. . ."

Had they really defeated Dynast Grausharra?! Surely this had to be some kind of joke. But as I thought about it more, Lina really is the only one who could do something like that.

Shaking off the confusion that I didn't have time for, I began another spell. And then, something else unexpected happened: The sorcerer before us was impaled through his stomach by a giant cone-shaped object. It ripped through him, killing the man instantly.

Another familiar, annoying, voice said sarcastically, "With that, I think this tiring battle is finally over."

"Xelloss?"

* * *

><p>Later, as we together began to exit Efray cave, I learned that Xelloss had been in the cave as well. Apparently, he'd been retrieving the Return Staff as the others handled the sorcerer. When I'd asked him why he was present, he responded: "That's a secret."<p>

Now, usually I wasn't too fond of him, but I was thankful to find he was able to free Naga from the spell affecting her.

I noticed though, the only person I found missing was Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune. I guess she hadn't been along on the quest to find the Return Staff. I hadn't exactly bothered to ask though. It wasn't that important.

What mattered to me most then was the staff that Lina now held. I needed the Return Staff, no matter what. I had no idea if it could help me, but I had to try. No matter the pain involved, and no matter the cost, I had to find _something _that could give me my human body back.

Lina noticed the way I looked at the staff and smiled.

The most unexpected thing to happen to me that day: Lina giving me the Return Staff.

She thrust it into my hands, saying, "This is why you came to Lunaria, right Zel?"

I _know _I blushed.

I embarrassedly turned to Gourry. "Your sword," I said to him, still flustered. He unsheathed the blade and held it out before him, understanding what I was asking of him.

I don't know what came over me. For the first time in a while, I wanted to help someone else before myself.

Another, almost as unexpected, thing happened that day:

The Return Staff glowed as I pointed it toward Gourry's Blast Sword.

It's light shone over the blade, repairing it.

The glowing died down.

And the Return Staff suddenly shattered into thousands of pieces, then each piece dissolved on the ground until there was nothing.

"I . . . . guess it was only one-use . . ." Lina said quietly. She looked at me hesitantly, fearing what'd I'd do now. I couldn't blame her, I was _mad_. So. Very. Undescribably. Mad. I cursed under my breath.

"I'm so sorry, Zel,"

"It wouldn't have worked anyway." I said to her.

With that, I would've been done. I wanted to just leave. But Lina grabbed my arm, stopping me. "Zel, we're friends. We can help you find another way to get your body back you know."

"No," I told her, my voice shaky. ". . . as your friend, I can't ask that of you."

I realized then, my feelings for Lina and the others had changed. In the beginning, we were enemies. But as time went on, we found a common goal. Before long, we'd come to know each other as comrades. And now, as Lina spoke to me, calling me her friend, I realized I considered her to be my friend as well.

"Lina, if our paths cross again in the future, I would gladly fight alongside you. But for now we part, and I'll chase my dream of finding a cure for my body on my own."

"Okay, Zel, until we see each other again then." She sadly extended her hand and shook mine.

I wasn't as upset as I'd thought I'd be at the Staff's destruction. I'd found something out; I'd realized something about myself as I left Lunaria: I considered Lina and Gourry to be my friends. I wasn't sure what that meant, or what I'd do with that realization, but it gave me joy, admittedly. I was happy to know that, even if we wouldn't see each other for a while, I had people I could say that I truly trust.

These feelings I had for them were what gave me the strength to keep going until I finally found a way to fix my body.


End file.
